MORGANTOWN — West Virginia had to fight off a last-gasp threat by Rutgers on Saturday to preserve a 24-17 football victory in the first Big East Conference contest of the season for both teams.
After the Mountaineers failed on a fourth-and-two-inches-to-go effort by Jarrett Brown, then at quarterback, the Scarlet Knights took possession at the WVU 45 with 1:54 left to play. But quarterback Mike Teel completed just one of four passes for five yards.
West Virginia then ran three plays to kill the clock.
In making their record 3-2, the Mountaineers extended their winning streak to 14 against Rutgers and now lead the all-time series, 30-4-2. The Scarlet Knights are 1-4 this season.
Coach Bill Stewart called it a tremendous victory for his team.
“It was a heck of a football game,” he said. “The stats look balanced to me, but I was pleased on the third-down plays.”
The WVU offense converted on 8 of 16 such attempts, while Rutgers moved the chains on five of 15 third-down plays.
“Jarrett Brown was in there early and he did a tremendous job,” Stewart said. “I’m happy about that.”
Brown, the No. 2 quarterback who also at times is a running back or slot receiver, had to take over for veteran signal-caller Patrick White after White suffered a slight concussion late in the third quarter.
But Stewart said White “got dinged” on a keeper play but should be fine.
“I’m frustrated,” lamented Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, who’s now 0-8 in games against West Virginia. “I’m frustrated we aren’t winning games. I don’t think it’s fair to pinpoint Mike (Teel). I thought he played well.
“They executed the fake punt and got the first down (keeping alive a drive for the last WVU touchdown). We weren’t rushing it and were in a safe defense.”
The Mountaineers managed a 17-14 edge in first downs, rushed for 175 yards to just 72, and passed for 158 yards to 198 to finish with a 333-270 edge in total offense.
White completed 12 of 17 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns. He also was his team’s leading rusher with a net 59 yards on 11 plays, four more than tailback Noel Devine gained.
Teel connected on 14 of 32 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown. He also scored his team’s other six-pointer on a five-yard run.
Rutgers tailback Jason Brooks rushed 17 times for a team-high 58 yards.
Rutgers’ Kenny Britt was the day’s leading pass-catcher with 12 receptions for 151 yards. Jock Sanders and Wes Lyons had four each for WVU, gaining 47 and 44 yards, respectively.
But it was White’s 25-yard pass to tight end Tyler Urban that gave the Mountaineers a 7-0 lead with 5:45 left in the first quarter. That capped a 33-yard, two-play push after Ellis Lankster returned a punt 34 yards to the RU 33.
Pat McAfee’s extra point broke the all-time school record for most points kicking. It was his 324th of his career, topping the previous high of 323 by Paul Woodside in the early 1980s.
McAfee then padded his total by booting a 40-yard field goal with 9:06 left in the second period, after which San San Tee kicked a 23-yard field goal with 4:28 remaining in the half.
White hit Jock Sanders with a 14-yard scoring shot, making the score 17-3, but Teel still had time for his five-yard rush for a 17-10 score at halftime.
Brown’s one-yard plunge capped a 68-yard, 14-play drive for the only scoring in the third quarter, and the Mountaineers led 24-10 going into the final period.
Teel threw a 14-yard pass to Tim Brown, ending a 58-yard march which required 13 plays with 6:23 remaining in the contest.
Each team converted once on two fourth-down plays.
Stewart said, “We still have to work on that. We were in the red zone three times and we scored three times. I like that.”
He praised both the offensive and defensive staffs for their work. He also liked most of what his special teams did.
“We dropped two many balls,” Schiano said, “even on that last drive.”
West Virginia remains at home next Saturday for a homecoming game against Syracuse. Rutgers visits Cincinnati.
Mickey Furfari
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